I've been experimenting with collage sporadically for many years. (I still remember the first one I made in second grade so the medium obviously made an impression on me!) I tried to incorporate collage influences in my design work and I dabbled on my own art projects occasionally.
In the late 90s I signed up for a collage workshop through the Naropa Institute for Continuing Education and taught by Christina Craigo. I lived in Denver, worked in Boulder, and was single mom to a young daughter. My friend, Joan Padgitt, offered to babysit for my daughter so I could stay late in Boulder one night each week for 6 weeks or so to take the workshop. (Thanks, JP!) It was the first time I had taken the time to experiment widely or worked in a series (the final class project).
The collage at left is one of a series of five Color Constructs (8 x 8"), each done as a single color study on black board. I was using cut papers from magazines with a glue stick, mounted to black illustration board, so it is somewhat surprising that they are still intact! Anyway, they remain fun to look at and continue to inspire my work today. I still remember that during the class critique someone said the series was "like a group of little jewels" -- an analogy I loved. I'd like to do more of them sometime... (Note to self: add to list!)